The present invention relates generally to the field of casting mechanisms for fishing rods and reels and particularly to a novel and improved method and means for manually or automatically casting fishing line off of a reel. A reel according to the invention can function as a conventional spincasting reel as well as a reel for performing an automatic cast in response to pressing a thumb button,
There are a number of mechanisms that have been devised for casting fishing line from a rod and reel. In conventional bait casting the fisherman draws the rod back and accelerates the rod tip forward to impart momentum to the lure or other object to which the line is tethered. Depending upon the nature of the reel that is used, it may also be necessary for the fisherman to operate a brake or other device on the reel to restrain the reel from dispensing line during the initial casting movement and to release the line once the forward momentum of the rod has been imparted to the lure.
When a spincasting reel is used for casting, the fisherman begins the cast with the line restrained from movement out of the reel housing by a snubbing action typically controlled by thumb pressure on a thumb button. When the forward motion of the reel tip reaches the point where it is desired that the lure should leave the rod and begin its trajectory, the fisherman""s thumb is removed from the thumb button and the line is freed from the snub brake that restrained it, typically between the front cover of the reel and the inner rotor mechanism. It has been found that the casting procedure requires some skill and coordination and may not be immediately undertaken by novices, particularly younger children.
It is therefore proposed to provide a modified spincasting reel which is operable in one configuration for performing casts in the conventional manner but which also is operable, in a modified configuration, to allow the user to wind the fishing line so tightly that the end of the rod is drawn back and cocked in the manner of a bow which may then be xe2x80x9cfiredxe2x80x9d to cast the weight and line by actuation of a release button on the reel to free the line, thereby allowing the flexed rod to return to its extended xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d position while accelerating the weight, thereby automatically casting the weight and line away from the fisherman.
Such xe2x80x9cautomaticxe2x80x9d operation is something that can be easily mastered by a child or novice fisherman. It also allows use of the rod and reel combination as a game device by allowing xe2x80x9cautomaticxe2x80x9d casting of a weight toward a target. The line is retrieved and the rod tip is again flexed by using the reel crank in the normal manner to draw the tip of the rod, bending it into a xe2x80x9cbowxe2x80x9d to store the energy to perform the next automatic casting operation when the thumb button is depressed.
The reel according to the present invention may also be used to perform casting operations in the normal manner when the reel is switched to its other configuration where the thumb button actuates the line brake at the beginning of the cast and is released to complete the cast. The line is then retrieved in the normal manner by turning the crank. Modifications to the rod structure may optimize its functionality for performing automatic casts.
While there are a number of add-on casting mechanisms that have been devised for casting fishing line which rely on using something other than a normal casting method and apparatus; most of those involve the use of other mechanisms to propel the lure and line. In the present invention, a rod and reel which may also be used for normal casting, are adaptable for performing the automatic casting as well.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a rod and reel for carrying out automatic casting as well as conventional casting.
The above mentioned problems with casting using conventional spincasting rods and reels and other problems are addressed by the present invention and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. A rod and reel combination is described which provides, in one configuration, for automatic casting by pressing a button on the reel.
In particular, an illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides, in a fishing reel having a rear housing, a spool to hold a quantity of fishing line, a crank rotatably mounted on the housing and a rotor mounted on a shaft projecting through the spool, the rotor coupled to the crank for rotation by the crank and having a having a pickup pin extendable therefrom as the crank is rotated for engaging the fishing line and depositing it on the spool. The reel also has a front cover attachable to the rear housing to enclose the spool and rotor, the cover having an opening through which fishing line may be fed to and from the spool, a thumb button mounted on the housing and coupled for moving the shaft and rotor to retract the pickup pin into the rotor and to snub line between the rotor and the front cover and provides an improvement having a switch mounted on the rear housing for limiting movement of the thumb button and the rotor to retract the pick up pin into the rotor without snubbing the line against the front cover.
In particular, an illustrative embodiment of the present invention also includes a fishing reel with a rear housing, a spool to hold a quantity of fishing line, a crank rotatably mounted on the housing, a rotor mounted on a shaft projecting through the spool, the rotor coupled to the crank for rotation by the crank and having a having a pickup pin extendable therefrom as the crank is rotated for engaging the fishing line and depositing it on the spool. The reel also has a front cover attachable to the rear housing to enclose the spool and rotor, the cover having an opening through which fishing line may be fed to and from the spool and a thumb button mounted on the housing and coupled in one configuration for moving the shaft and rotor to retract the pickup pin into the rotor and to snub line between the rotor and the front cover and coupled in another configuration to permit only limited movement of the thumb button and the rotor to retract the pick up pin into the rotor without snubbing the line against the front cover.
In another illustrative embodiment of the present invention a rod and reel has a fishing rod having an eyelet at a distal tip thereof, a spin casting reel mounted on the rod and displaced from its distal tip, the reel adapted for retrieving and discharging a fishing line having a weight at one end thereof through the eyelet, the reel constructed and arranged for retrieving the fishing line until the weight reaches the eyelet and then causing the rod to bend with the distal tip being drawn toward the reel. In that embodiment the reel is also constructed and arranged for releasing the line by pressing a thumb button to momentarily release the line and dispense line as the bend in the rod is removed and the momentum of the weight propels the weight and the fishing line to which it is attached away from the rod and reel.
Additionally a method embodiment of the present invention includes attaching the weight to the end of a fishing line from a fishing reel and passing through an eyelet at the end of the rod, retrieving the fishing line to draw the weight against the eyelet and bend the rod tip toward the reel, releasing the tension on the fishing line by pressing a thumb button to remove the tension on the fishing line and allow the rod to unbend and the momentum of the weight to propel it from the rod while pulling line from the reel.